Stirrup and connections therefor.



1%. 740,888. PATENTED OCT. 6,1903.

W. J. MAY. STIRRUP AND .GONNECTIONS THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE, 25. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED. STATES fatented October 6,1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM 'J..MAY, OF LEONARD, TEXAS.

STIRRUP AND CONNECTIONS THERE-FOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,888, dated October 6, 1903.

Application filed June 25,1902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. MAY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Leonard, in the county of Fannin and State of Texas, have invented a new and. Improved Stirrup and Connections Therefor, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to novel features of construction for a stirrup and novel connections therefor which suspend the stirrup and an attached fender device at right angles to each other and dispose the stirrup in position for engagement by the foot of a rider without twisting the connection of thependent stirrup-leather with the saddle 0r disarranging the fender from normal adjustment.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described, and defined in the appended claims. a

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, formingapart of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved stirrup and its connections. Fig. 2 is a front View of the same. Fig. 3 isa longitudinal sectional view substantially on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of a flat blank from which the stirrup is formed.

As indicated in the drawings, the stirrup complete is formed of a single strip of malleable cast metal, shaped marginally preferably as represented in Fig. 4.. It will be noticed. that intermediately of the extremities of the stirrup-blank a tread portion 5 is formed thereon having parallel edges, this integral member merging into the lower ends of the side bars 6 and 7.

The side bar 6, which is innermost in service, is afiorded' greater width than the outer side bar 7, and these side bars are bent into form by turning curved corners a b where they respectively merge into the fiat treadpiece 5 and thence curving them upwardly and toward each other, so as to locate the free upper end of the side bar 7 near the other side bar, 6.

A tenon 7 (shown in Fig. 4) is formed on the upper end of the side bar 7 and is insert.- ed into a transverse slot 6*, cut or otherwise Serial No. 113.183. (N0 model.)

formed in the side bar 6 at a nearly equal distance from the'tread-piece 5, and when the stirrup'is to be completed the tenon is riveted into said slot, thus securing the side bars 6 7 together.

Upon the upper endof the side bar 6 an integral extension 8 is provided, this part being wider than the side bar and may be parallel on its side edges. The portion 8 is to form a hanger-arm for the stirrup proper, and, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is bent into essentially Z form, thus projecting a flat bar nearly horizontal and away from the upper end of the side bar 7 by bending the material at 0 above and near the tenon 7. The material forming the stirrup hanger-arm is again bent, as at 61, so as to project a guard-flange 8 upwardly from the portion 8, and in the latter two spaced slots (2 e are formedrthat are transversely disposed, one near the flange 8 and the other adjacent to the slot 6 and tenon 7 ii The flexible connection 9 (shown partially in Figs. 1 and 2) and technically known as a stirrup-leather extends, when complete, from the side of the saddle-frame beneath the saddle-skirt and may terminate in the suspension-ring 9 The improved stirrup connection consists of the hangerstrap l0 and reinforcing-strap 10, and, as best shown in Fig. 2,-the hanger-strap is looped at g, so

as to provide two membersan inner oneand an outer one. I

A fender-flap ll, formed of leather or other suitable material and given a suitable contour, preferably the shape represented in Fig. 1,is secured near its upper end, and also near a straight Vertical edge thereon, to the hanger-strap 10, this connection, which may be edected by means-of a rivet it, being near the loop g, thus disposing the outer member of the hanger-strap upon the normal outer side of the fender-flap. Near the lower end of the fender-flap 11 one end of the reinforcing-strap 10 is secured, and the remaining portions of the hanger-strap 10 and reinforcing-strap 10" are lapped together and first passed downwardly through the slot 6 nearest to the riveted end of the stirrup member 7, then upwardly through the. other slot, e, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

The lapped portions of thetwo straps 10 v 10 trend upward together and are adjustably secured upon the depending inner member of the hanger-strap 10, preferably by providing spaced perforations i in these strap members that have lateral contact, and through said perforations one or more lacings 12 are passed, so as to bind the straps together, the ends of the lacings being tied together in a releasable manner, as represented in Figs. 2 and 3.

In assembling the parts for service the looped portion g of the hanger-strap 10 receives the ring 9 on the stirrup-leather 9, and it will be seen that by this means the hanger-strap 10 is disposed so as to hang pendent at the side of the animal and avoid twisting edgewise. It will further be seen that the slots 6 e in the hanger-arm member 8 are formed substantially at right angles to the side edges of the stirrup frame members 6 7, so that the flexible connection between the hanger-arm of the stirrup will always hang flat and near the saddle-skirt, and consequently the stirrup will be supported in proper position for the reception of the riders foot. It will be evident that as the fender-flap 11 extends rearwardly from the hanger-strap l0, trending edgewise therefrom, as shown in Figs. 1 and- 2, this adjunct of the stirrup connection will always hang true alongside of the animal and be kept so by the weight imposed upon the stirrup. Furthermore, as the hanger-arm is projected at the inner side of the stirrup frame member 6 it will be apparent that when the pair of the improved stirrups are engaged by the feet of the rider the Weight of the person who may rise from the saddle in rapid riding will tend to keep the stirrups closely pressed toward the sides of the horse and greatly aid the rider in maintaining his leg-grip on the horse, so that there will be no danger of a dismount should the horse become fractious.

As there can be no tendency to twist in the pendent connectionsfor a pair of the im proved stirrups,as is usual in stirrup-leathers that engage the stirrups in the ordinary manner, the

edges of the straps cannot rub the lower limbs of the rider and chafe them, as is frequently the case when the stirrups have to be given an outward turn in order to keep the feet properly engaged therewith.

As the fender-flaps 11 are always in position to prevent the lower portions of the riders legs from coming into contact with the sides of the horse, sweat and dirt are prevented from soiling the garments of the rider, and the fender-flaps are more efficient when arranged as herein shown and described than when connected with the stirrup-leathers in the ordinary way.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A stirrup having two curved side bars,

spaced apart at their lower ends by a treadpiece, and a hanger-bar that extends laterally from the side of said side bars and is slotted at two points in parallel planes, and thus adapted to receive tworuns of a double flexible connection.

2. A stirrup having two curved side bars spaced apart at their lower ends by a treadpiece, one side bar at its upper end having a hanger-bar projected laterally, and then upward at the outer end thereof, said hangerbar having two transverse slots in its lateral member, which adapt said hanger-bar to receive the two runs of a double flexible connection.

3. A stirrup formed of a single strip of metal, comprisinga tread-piece, two side bars bent upwardly and inwardly from the ends of the tread-piece, one side bar being joined to the other side bar, and a hanger-bar bent outwardly and upwardly from the upper end of the last-mentioned side bar, the outwardlybent portion of the hanger-bar having two spaced slots formed therein, that trend in a plane at right angles to the side edges of the tread-piece.

4. In a stirrup of the character described, and connections therefor, the hanger-strap looped-at one end to connect with a stirrupleather, a reinforcing-strap joined by a flexible strand to one end portion of the hangerstrap, and a fender-flap joined by one end upon the hanger-strap and by the other end upon the remaining end of the reinforcing strap, the hanger-strap and reinforcing-strap being looped and together passed through slots in a hanger-arm oir the stirrup at said loop.

5. A stirrup formed of a single strip of metal, comprising a tread-piece, parallel on its side edges, two side bars bent upward and inward from the ends of the tread-piece, a tenon formed on the end of one side bar and riveted in aslot formed in the other side bar, giving arched form to the stirrup, and an integral hanger-arm bent laterally and then upwardly at the outer side of the slotted side bar above the tenon of the secured side bar, said hanger-arm having slots disposed at right angles to the side edges of the tread-piece, for the reception of a flexible connection.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM J. MAY.

Witnesses:

' HENRY G. RATHBUN,

Gno. H. BEAM.

IIO 

